Was Jesus an Essene? Did he reject the validity of the temple? I tackle those questions in my latest video in which I respond to claims made by another content creator. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATQk...

Happy feast day of the Conversion of St Paul!

My next book, THE BIBLE AND THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK: HEALING IN CHRIST (@BakerAcademic), is now available for pre-order! Those pre-orders help a lot with the algorithms. Please consider ordering yours today! amzn.to/3BvZqpC

My friend David Sloan just won the internet today on Facebook.

I have written a brief post on the results of the 2024 Survey of Paul Scholars. thesacredpage.com/2024/12/13/t...

Here is a brief video I made on the history of St Nicholas. How was he remembered? Did he really assault Arius? (No!) How did he get associated with gift-giving? And how did he become Santa Claus? For more, see my book, The True Meaning of Christmas. youtu.be/SUUsJpXnvm8?...

One major SBL highlight this year—watching @jasonstaples.bsky.social introduce @davidaburnett.bsky.social (who gave a great response to a paper) with walk up music: Never Gonna Give You Up. #SBLAAR2024 Apparently, videos don’t work on this site so I’ll just leave this photo of David’s reaction.

Listening to Sam Johnson, “Assumption of Moses, Assumption of Mary: A Shared Tradition?” #SBLAAR2024

At the first Paul within Judaism session. Listening to Paula Fredriksen on 1 Cor 9:19-22. What does it mean to be “under the law”? #SBLAAR24

Listening to Christopher Stroup, “Questions about Your Own Law” (Acts 18:15): Paul and the Jewishness of Christians in the Acts of the Apostles #SBLAAR2024

Listening to Judith Gundry: Give No Offense to Jews, Greeks, and God’s Assembly: 1 Cor 8-10 in Paul’s Defense of Monotheism among Pagans and Jews in the Diaspora #SBLAAR2024

Listening to Stephen Chester, “Paul and the History of Conversion: Trajectories within and Beyond Judaism” #SBLAAR2024

At the Enoch Seminar’s event reviewing Paula Fredriksen’s new book, Ancient Christianities. Been looking forward to this. She begins by saying the key ideas for her book are: “monotheism” (problematic for her!) ethnicity, apocalyptic eschatology, and imperial power #SBLAAR2024

This looks very important

“Perhaps we finally did away with God indirectly, by exterminating silence.”—Dale C. Allison, Jr., The Luminous Dusk: Finding God in Deep, Still Places (Eerdmans, 2006), 38.

The new ICC Galatians Commentary by Christopher M. Tuckett is now available. www.bloomsbury.com/uk/galatians...

How do hashtags work on this site? Same as in the before days or is there some celestial secret wisdom? Someone please let me know. Thanks!

SBL or bust! #sblaar24

Today in my Synoptic Gospels and Acts seminar we looked at the stories of Jesus's anointing by a woman. I find this topic endlessly fascinating. These are from my handout:

At SBL I get to have meals with some of my favorite scholars, people I have spent endless hours reading and learning from over the years. It is such a joy to talk with them face to face. Looking forward to it!

The superscriptions of the psalms are often overlooked. This is a shame—there are some remarkable details there.

Wondering what @jasonstaples.bsky.social will use for walk up music this year at #SBL

I am especially excited about going to this panel on Paul within Judaism at SBL this year. Any other #SBLAAR24 #SBL recommendations?

One of my favorites academic conference memes.